Weekend Staycation- Orlando Style

This weekend was the epitome of "Life in Living Chaos". When I tell you I don't think we could have fit anything else into the weekend, I'm not exaggerating.

Friday, while the big kids were at school, I did some running around {grabbing necessities like toilet paper} then had to race back to the house to get ready. I had to help set up a vendor show that my team was working, and grab an extra outfit to change into so I could go see my niece before her senior prom {see the post before this one}.

I got back to the house 15 minutes after the babysitter got there, 10 minutes after my oldest got home, and just in time to grab all of my stuff, throw on some makeup so I didn't look like the Living Dead, and then fly out the door. {In fact, I left so quickly, I later almost had a coronary attack because I thought I lost my wallet, when indeed, I left it at home.}

Anywho. It was windy as heck when we got to the show, and on top of that, someone pulled the alarm at the school we were at, so it was super fun pulling up to cops and dogs sniffing the campus. We set up the tent, I helped set up the table, {prayed to God it wouldn't blow away} I wished my team good luck, and I took off like a bat out of Haiti. I made it to my sister's house in record time, just before the rest of the chaos ensued. After I helped talk my sister off the edge of a mental breakdown, I came back home and enjoyed a rather hilarious game of Head's Up with my crazy best friends.

My son is the trumpet player in the middle, looking at the camera!

Saturday, my son marched in his first marching band performance. He and his classmates did an AMAZING job. The two littles, the hubby, and I watched the majority of the parade, and then we decided on an incredibly spontaneous moment to drive out to Orlando and see his friends who were in Disney on vacation.

Dinner & a movie!

After the 2 hour ride {yay traffic} we made it to Disney Springs. Oh. Em. Gee. It was INSANE!!! Like, people on top of people, insane. But, we got to see his friends, enjoy a boat ride, had a nice dinner {pizza} & a movie at one of the resort restaurants, and even shop a little.The kids built lego cars and raced them down the ramp at the Lego Store, and we even got to enjoy some Italian Ices and watch the volcano at the Rain Forest Cafe erupt from across the lake.

Before we knew it, it was 10:30, the kids and I were shot, so the hubby asked if we could find a hotel to crash at so we didn't have to drive the 2 hours home. I found a great deal online, at a 4 star hotel {with breakfast in the a.m., SCORE!} so I booked it. We ended up saying goodbye to our friends at almost 11:45pm, with three exhausted kids that we knew were going to sleep good.

Now, the only problem with a spontaneous staycation is that NOBODY had clothes for the next day. So, on our way to the hotel, I decided to stop by Walmart. I figured I could grab a few cheap-o touristy shirts, swim trunks for the boys, suits for me and Abbie, and sundresses, and call it a day. $92 later, and no dress or pants for Abbie {I hate walmart, they wouldnt sell me the item I picked for her, they said it was "invalid"} I ended up leaving the store. It was now almost 1a.m.!!!

We got to the hotel, checked in, and went up to our room. Praise god the room was clean, bug free, (it's Florida, even 4 star hotels can get bugs), and the bed was like a cloud of marshmallow fluff. The laundry room was right across the hall, so we put on laundry, set the alarm and went to bed.

Sunday morning, we woke up and went to breakfast. That's when I was really happy that we decided to stop at 3 kids. There were so many kids there that *I* started feeling overstimulated. Never mind my Autism-Spectrum kid, and two other sensory kids... The breakfast was hard boiled eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy, fried chicken patties, make-your-own-waffles, yogurt, or oatmeal. Yikes.

I ended up making waffles, with one iron that had a handle that kept rebeling and rolling down.. and the other iron that , no matter how you much conditioning spray you used, wouldn't keep the freaking batter from sticking like you crazy glued the s.o.b. to the metal itself. I really think the food workers were just messing with us and truly using superglue in the pump bottle.

Like, I can imagine the conversation behind the door..

"How many hungry kids are we going to make cry today?" Liz asks as she smirks at her co-worker.

" Oh gee, Liz, I have no idea. I just want to watch the moms try to pull the waffle out of Ol' Bertha, without spilling their granola all over the floor, and then get all flustered because the kid behind them is hacking up a lung."

Yup. I'm pretty certain it went something like that.

We sent the three kids to the arcade room while the hubby and I debated where to go. I really wanted to go to Universal Studios, because in a few weeks my son and I are going to go to Disney with his middle school band.

The husband vetoed the trip and tried to get me to say yes to a fanboat ride. They were closed. Then h suggested Kennedy Space Center. I didn't want to drive that far. Then we were going to go to Old Town, but I pointed out how we ALWAYS go to Old Town.

We were almost out of options. We are the only family that cannot find anything to do in ORLANDO. What is wrong with us?! So, after some googling, we decided to do some light shopping, and then head to Friendly's for lunch, since breakfast was something of a disaster.  We had an amazing time there.

I know, that sounds like an oximoron. We had an amazing time there... because the kids sat next to each other {almost} the WHOLE time, without arguing, hitting, kicking or teasing each other. Until the very end, {when Zackie just lost balance and bumped his head} it wasn't that bad. I wish we had a Friendly's that was closer to where we live!!

After Friendly's we drove to this beautiful park, and went to the splash pad area of it. We paid $1 each to enter it {score for the cheapskate mom} and for $5 had such a blast. It was a chilly day {for Florida resident standards} so we didn't spend too long there; just long enough to wear the kids out. We tossed around the frisbees the kids got from the parade while the sun dried them off, they changed, and we drove home.

We got home, ate dinner, then realized my son had 3 math assignments that were due this morning... so he stayed up a little later getting them done.

All in all, our evening to visit our friend cost us a lot more than we anticipated, but it was worth the chaos making memories, right?!